Hydraulic waste disposal line cleaner with motor and cleaning head



J. A KIRSCHKE 3,449,783 HYDRAULIC WASTE] DISPOSAL LINE CLEANER WITH June 17, 1969 Sheet MOTOR AND CLEANING HEAD Filed March 24, 1967 INVENTOR JOHN A.K|RSCHKE J. A. KlRSCHKE HYDRAULIC WASTE DISPOSAL LINE CLEANER WITH June 17, 1969 Sheet 2 or 2 MOTOR AND CLEANING HEAD Filed March 24, 1967 INVENTOR JOHN A. KIRSCHKE United States Patent 3,449,783 HYDRAULIC WASTE DISPOSAL LINE CLEANER WITH MOTOR AND CLEANING HEAD John A. Kirschke, Box 125, Ammann Road, Boerne, Tex. 78006 Filed Mar. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 625,754 Int. Cl. B08!) 9/02, 3/10 US. Cl. -10412 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The hydraulic propelled and driven line cleaner comprises the combination of a high pressure source of fluid operably connected to a skid-mounted, jet-propelled, hydraulic-driven motor rotating a cleaning head designed for removing deposits and obstructions from waste disposal lines with components arranged in a configuration so as to jet flush the residue from the line.

Device is designed to be utilized in conjunction with a high pressure pumping unit mounted on a tank truck or trailer. When attached to a cleaning hose, the skid mounted, jet propelled, hydraulic motor is driven through a waste disposal line, sewer or the like, rotating a cleaning head disintegrating obstructions which are flushed from the conduit by the discharged fluid and the propelling jets.

Devices of the prior art utilize cable driven tools such as the hand driven plumbers snake and power driven larger embodiments.

Self-propelled water jets for cleaning waste disposal lines have been used for many years.

Hydraulic driven rotary tools have been utilized for many years for pipeline cleaning particularly in the oil industry.

Difficulties with the prior art are numerous. Cable driven devices do not incorporate self-flushing or simultaneous cleaning features, and if a tool is stalled or jammed, the cable can kink or break. The self-propelled water jet cleaners are not adequate for roots, hard packed clay, scale or grease.

The existing hydraulic driven rotary tools lack adequate torque or are not fully adapted for use in waste disposal lines carrying dense materials.

An object of this invention is to provide a self-propelled tool with high torque characteristics adequate to remove dense obstructions.

Another object is to flush and clean the tools working area to facilitate cutting and to simultaneously effect a flushing of the disintegrated waste from the conduit.

Another object was to provide a universal tool adaptable for various diameter pipes with a series of cutting heads or blades adaptable to multiple tasks.

The invention utilizes many components known to the prior art but combines the elements in a manner with interconnecting means which accomplishes new and substantially improved results.

The device of this invention is designed to be utilized in conjunction with a tank truck or trailer incorporating a gasoline powered pump to boost the line pressure to 600 to 1000 p.s.i. The pump preferably should have a capacity of 80 to 100 gallons per minute. A positive displacement pump of the plunger type has proved satisfactory in the preferred embodiment. The pump is preferably driven by an industrial type power plant of 100 HP. or more. A reel mounted high pressure hose of high capacity is preferred with sufficient tensile strength to be reacted against the pull of the self-propelling jets thereby flushing the conduit to be cleaned.

The device constituting this invention is attached to the reel mounted high pressure hose. The device or tool is ice constructed around a tubular conduit body. The device utilizes skid means to position the cutter head for the best attitude for removing obstructions while preventing the blades from striking the walls of the conduit. Two embodiments of the invention employing slightly different jet propulsion means will be described in detail. The jet propulsion means drives the tool forward into the waste disposal line in addition to performing a flushing action. A high torque hydraulic driven motor is provided which rotates a shaft on which various configurations of cleaning heads or blades may be mounted. A flywheel can be mounted on the cleaning head shaft to give additional inertia to the blades. A metering orifice is provided intermediate the propelling jets and the hydraulic motor to reduce the pressure on the vanes of the hydraulic motor to acceptable levels. The maximum pressure to the motor should be approximately 300 p.s.i. A desirable operating pressure is 200 p.s.i.; the propelling jets will operate up to 1000 p.s.i., however, 500 p.s.i. is quite effective. The higher pressures cause more rapid erosion of the jets and obviously create greater strain on the various components.

Other objects accomplished and advantages of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art as the following views are considered in conjunction with a detailed study of the description and claims.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the device constructed with an integral hydraulic motor and jet thruster. This embodiment is equipped with rabbit ears cleaning head with an inertia augmenting flywheel.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the device utilizing in separate components the jet thruster and the hydraulic motor, and a pyramidal cleaning head.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the hydraulic motor taken on line 33 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the rotor of the hydraulic motor and the inlet passage assembly.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the integral jet propulsion unit illustrating in particular the replaceable jets and the metering orifice to the hydraulic motor of the species of the device illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the separate jet propulsion unit and the metering orifice to the hydraulic motor utilized in the species illustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the several views wherein like reference characters will refer to identical or equivalent components throughout the entire description. Particularly referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device is attached to or assembled around a central conduit 10 which is preferably constructed of stainless steel pipe. In the species illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6, the conduit is threaded into a stainless steel thruster unit 11. This unit is formed with a conduit section 12 and an enlarged thruster section 13. Intermediate the two sections is drilled a series of jet apertures 14. Forward of the thruster unit 11 is threadably attached a skid support section 15 which includes external adjusting screws 16 and an internal metering orifice 17. The requirements for a metering orifice arises because of the necessity for reducing the relatively high hydraulic pressure (up to 1000 p.s.i.) in the thruster unit to acceptably operating pressures (less than 400 p.s.i.) for use in the hydraulic motor 18. In the species of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2 a connecting collar 19 threadably attaches the skid support section 15 to the hydraulic motor 18. The hydraulic motor is constructed with a motor case 20 in which is mounted the rotor 21 comprising an output shaft 22 extending through the motor case 20. The output shaft 22 is adapted to receive an assortment of attachments such as the pyramidal cleaning head 23 illustrated in FIG. 2 and/ or a flywheel 24 and rabbit ears cleaning head 25 illustrated in FIG. 1. Again referring to FIGS.

1 and 2, the internal components of the device are surrounded and supported by a skid assembly 26 comprising a series of four (4) or more rails 27 including band brackets 28 through which is inserted a retaining band 29 with adjusting clamp 30. The rails contact the adjusting screws 16 and extend toward the inlet end 31 of the device where they are secured to a rail bracket 32 slidably mounted on the central conduit 10. This rail bracket 32 is slidably mounted on the central conduit 10 and adjustably secured thereto by rail bracket screws 33. Referring to FIG. 2, around the central conduit 10 intermediate the inlet end 31 and the rail bracket 32 is securely mounted a spherical skid 34. This skid is preferably made of rubber or some type of durable yielding plastic in that a metal spherical skid 34 will be rapidly eroded by the discharge of the jet apertures 14.

The embodiment of the device illustrated in FIG. 1 varies from the species of FIG. 2 only in the configuration of the thruster unit 11. The unit embodied in the species of FIG. 1 is threadably attached directly to the hydraulic motor 18 in the position of the connecting collar 19 of the FIG. 2 species. The jet apertures 14 of FIGS. 1 and are drilled in stainless steel pipe plugs 35. The metering orifice 17 of the species of FIGS. 1 and 5 is internally mounted in the thruster unit 11 intermediate the said unit and the hydraulic motor 18. The comparison of the thruster unit 11 in combustion with the metering orifice 17 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 for the two species of the invention.

The details of construction of the hydraulic motor 18 is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The hydraulic fluid is directed into the vaned rotor 21 through the inlet passage 36. The fluid is conducted through the inlet grooves 37 in the vaned rotor 21. The fluid forces the phenolic fiber vanes 38 against the cylinder wall 39 of the motor case. The propelling orifices 40 admit fluid to the thrust side of the vanes 38; the pressure builds up forcing the vaned rotor 21 to turn. As the thrust action is partially completed, a vane 38 uncovers the primary outlet passage 41 which discharges the fluid through the motor case 20 through an outlet orifice 42. The outlet orifices 42 are constructed with a concave jet lip 43 which deflects the discharge fluid to the rear assisting in the forward thrust of the device in addition to cleaning the operating area for the work tool attached to the shaft 22. As one vane 38 uncovers an oulet passage 41, the following vane 38 has rotated into such a position that its inlet groove 37 is in communication with an inlet passage 36. This overlapping cycle in combination with the utilization of six (6) vanes insures the application of constant torque to the output shaft 22 of the rotor 21. To insure the complete discharge of spent fluid from the system, any fluid forward of a blade or not discharged through the primary outlet passage 41 is discharged through the secondary discharge orifice 44 which communicates with the outlet orifice 42. The rotor 21 and shaft 22 are preferably constructed of stainless steel while the cylinder wall 39 and the shaft bearing 45 and the inlet passage 36 body 46 are constructed of a copper alloy such as brass or bronze. In order to insure exact alignment of the inlet passage 36 and the inlet grooves 37, a motor case pin 47 is designed to fit into an aligning hole 48 in the inlet passage 36 body 46.

This combination of metals reduces erosion and wear of the various components.

In placing the device in operation, the skid assembly 26 should be adjusted to correspond to the diameter of the waste disposal line or conduit to be cleaned. This may be accomplished by adjusting the screw of the adjusting clamp 30 of the retaining band 29 to position the rails 27 so as to loosely contact the walls of the waste disposal line to be cleaned. The rail bracket 32 can be moved forward or back on the central conduit to such a position that the skid assembly 26 properly encircles motor 18'. After proper adjustment, the rail bracket screws 33 should be tightened against the central conduit 10. The adjusting screws 16 are tightened outward to securely contact the rails 27 of the skid assembly 26. The appropriate tool is attached to the output shaft 22 and the assembled device connected to the high pressure hose of the tank truck or trailer. The device is placed in the conduit opening and the water valve of the high pressure pump opened to activate the device. The thruster unit 11 will propel the device forward while the motor 18 is simultaneously activated rotating the attached cleaning head or tool. Obstructions in the waste disposal line will be disintegrated by the rapid rotating cleaning head 23 or 25 and the residue washed to the rear by the fluid discharged from the outlet orifices 42 and the jet apertures 14. In the unlikely event the device should be overloaded or stall in its operation, the hydraulic driven power reel on the pumping unit can withdraw the hose and assembly with cleaning head a few inches or feet to permit the motor 18 to regain momentum. When the waste disposal line or conduit is cleaned, the assembly may be withdrawn from the waste disposal line while operating the device under pressure thereby flushing the conduit completely.

This device has been described in two species with two or three cleaning head combinations. Numerous combinations of the assembly and working tools will be apparent to one skilled in the art from a study of the foregoing description and the appended claims. For example, tools designed for descaling, scarifying, cleaning and resurfacing the interior walls of various types of waste disposal lines, pipes, and conduits can be readily attached to the output shaft 22 and worked inside virtually any type of conduit having a substantially circular configuration.

What is desired to be claimed is all embodiments and uses of the device not departing from the scope and spirit of this invention and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hydraulic waste disposal line cleaner comprising:

(a) a central conduit, including an inlet and an outlet portion,

(b) a hydraulic motor operably attached to said central conduit,

(c) an output shaft projecting from said hydraulic motor,

((1) a jet thruster unit mounted on said central conduit intermediate said inlet portion and said hydraulic motor, and

(e) a cleaning head mounted on said output shaft.

2. The invention of claim 1 including a skid assembly substantially encasing the foregoing cited components.

3. The invention of claim 1 including a metering orifice intermediate said hydraulic motor and said jet thruster unit.

4. A hydraulic waste disposal line cleaner comprising:

(a) .an external source of high pressure fluid,

(b) a central conduit connected to said source,

(c) a jet thruster unit mounted on said central conduit adjacent said source of high pressure fluid said jet thruster unit adapted to discharge fluid in a generally rearward direction in said waste disposal line,

(d) a hydraulic motor attached to said central conduit forward of said jet thruster unit,

(e) a metering orifice intermediate said jet thruster unit adapted to reduce pressure of the said fluid supplied to said hydraulic motor,

(f) a cleaning head operably attached to said hydraulic motor, and

(g) a skid assembly mounted on said central conduit and substantially encasing said hydraulic motor slidably supporting said motor substantially in the center of the waste disposal line.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said skid assembly comprises:

(a) a rail bracket,

(b) a series of rails attached to said bracket,

(c) a retaining band engaging said rails,

6 (d) an adjustable clamp operably attached to the ends (b) a power-driven reel receiving and securing said of said retaining band, high pressure hose, and (e) adjusting screws projecting outward from said cenpower means connected to said reel capable of tral conduit contacting said rails. paying out and reeling in said hose while the hy- 6. The invention of claim 4 including .a substantially 5 draulic waste disposal line cleaner is in operation spherical resilient skid encompassing said central conduit. under high pressure.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said hydraulic .10. The invention of claim 4 wherein the said hymotor is a positive displacement hydraulic motor. draulic motor is a positive displacement hydraulic motor.

8. Invention of claim 1 wherein the said hydraulic motor comprises: References Cited (a) fi UNITED STATES PATENTS (b) bearlng means mounted in said cylinder, (c) a rotor mounted in said bearing means, and 1,549,761 8/1925 FPChS et 104-12 (d) movable vanes mounted on said rotor, said vanes 1,717,986 6/1929 Llebau 2,232,018 2/1941 Wright 15-10412 adapted to move outward responsive to fluid pres- 15 sure and thereby contacting said cylinder walls, and (e) inlet and outlet valve means progressively un- EDWARD L'ROBERTSPI'Zma'y Exammer' covered 'by said vanes as said rotor turns. 9. The invention of claim4including: (a) a high tensile strength, high pressure hose inter- 134167 connecting said external source of high pressure fluid and said central conduit, 

